Yahoo Lifestyle The women who have become the Breast of Friends
"It made me feel like I wasn't alone," said Lily Ward when discussing the life-changing impact joining the Breast Friends cancer community had on her life.
Founded in Essex and Suffolk, the group helps and connects women with breast cancer across the East of England through events, care kits and online support hubs.
Lily, 29, became a member after being diagnosed with breast cancer following the removal of a "really uncomfortable" lump which was visible through her clothes.
She then had a double mastectomy and her nipples removed to reduce the chances of her cancer returning – surgery which Breast Friends is helping her overcome.
"I didn't think it was going to hit me as hard as it has because I just thought 'My boobs have caused me to have cancer – I don't like them anymore'," she said.
"But to see my body change from the side-effects of chemotherapy and the mastectomy, and knowing it has changed for life, has been really mentally hard."
When Lily was given the devastating news she had breast cancer, having initially been told it was likely to be something less sinister, her life was turned upside down.
But speaking to Breast Friends co-founder Caroline Sturman, 47, made all the difference, instantly alleviating the huge weight of uncertainty on her shoulders.
"My family and friends couldn't get their heads around it, and it was unknown whether I was going to make it through this," Lily said.
"But when I met Caroline, it gave me the lift I needed because talking to someone who had been through it really calmed me down, and that's when I knew I'd be OK.
"I then went to a Breast Friends event for under-35s, and just seeing a room full of people of a similar age to me [experiencing the same feelings] was just so nice.
"Your family and friends are a massive support, but having people who truly understand how you are feeling does make a massive difference."
Breast Friends was started in 2021 by Caroline, from Felixstowe, and Janine Aldis, from Colchester, as a modest Facebook group with little in the way of expectation.
"When I was diagnosed, it was a really lonely time for me and it felt like I was the only girl in the world going through it," said Caroline, who received her diagnosis in 2017.
"Then, about three years later, a doctor put me in touch with one of his other patients – and that was Janine.
"I felt like I had been holding my breath and then I met this person and all of a sudden I could breathe again – it was that powerful and such a relief.
"It was in that moment we said we wanted to do something to make it different for other people. We were desperate to find something positive."
Breast Friends' popularity quickly grew, with hundreds of women flocking to the platform in search of the sense of solidarity and togetherness the group offered.
The group has since packaged up and distributed nearly 2,000 care kits to women receiving treatment, including patients at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford and Colchester and Ipswich hospitals.
Each package, described as a "huge hug" in a box, includes items such as shampoo, tissues, mints and a "beautifully crafted" heart-shaped cushion.
Menopause kits with information and products designed to help with the symptoms of menopause that may be experienced after cancer treatment are also available.
Breast Friends has also organised a plethora of fundraising events, such as its Boogie Bingo nights, wellness walks, coffee mornings and craft workshops across the region.
But the demand for the group's service has become so great that it is now starting to help women throughout the UK via its online support hubs.
Looking ahead, Breast Friends has just launched its 2Shine initiative, which provides peer support for anyone living with a secondary breast cancer diagnosis.
And in the new year, the group will be staging a "massive" fashion show featuring models who have either overcome breast cancer or are currently fighting it.
'So proud'
"On one hand it is really sad there are so many women who need us but, on the other hand, to be able to support them and stand with them as they are going through this really challenging time is just an honour and a privilege," said Caroline.
"We are so proud of what we have built and the very special community we have now – it's amazing and just shows how much of an impact a bit of kindness can have.
"We are definitely no-frills – we are real and honest and just offer a safe space. But it's the very simple acts that have a really powerful impact."
Now Lily – who sought help after feeling an itching sensation in her breast – is free of cancer, she hopes she can have a powerful impact on others.
"You do make really good friends from it, friends you didn't even know that you needed," she said.
"They become your best friends because you can be really open with them, so it will be something I am a part of for the rest of my life.
"And, hopefully, I can then help other people who are going through breast cancer, too."
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